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These 19 People Witnessed Someone Die

11.

We responded to an accident — dump truck vs cement mixer. The driver of the dump truck was pinned in by his legs and had some chest and minor head trauma too. I was on the first truck on scene and I took charge of this man's care. When we arrived, he was totally alert and oriented, but in pain. It took two hours for the fire department to pull the cement mixer off the dump truck and push the dashboard up enough to get him out. About an hour in, he told me “I'm getting really tired of breathing.” I've never heard anyone say that, but it was so clear that he knew exactly what was happening to him. 15 minutes later, he stopped breathing on his own. Despite ventilating him mechanically, another 10 minutes later, his heart stopped.

12.

I watched my mother die. She had breast cancer that rapidly spread and became so widespread there wasn't any hope. The strange thing is, that she knew when she would die. She called our family in. My siblings were very young, so a cousin took them in another room, I was 17. Our family had a prayer & then we each spoke to her a last time. I tried to be stoic through the intense sorrow. She told me she loved me, she held my hand, she looked at me deeply & said my name. I cried hard. We sat with her, my dad holding her hand, listening to each struggle for breath. The she breathed her last breath.

13.

I was abruptly awoken by my dad busting into my room and yelling that my step-mom had shot herself. I was still half asleep and didn't know what to think or say. I jumped out of bed and ran upstairs, following my dad to his bedroom. He looked at me with fear and shock in his eyes and opened the door. I looked in and saw her laying on the bed, a pistol in her right hand. I could see a small amount of blood spattered on the wall behind her, and a small wound on her temple. She was moaning. I said her name and she moaned again. I didn't know what to do. I was in shock. 911 had already been called and we were waiting for the paramedics to arrive. I heard sirens getting closer so I ran outside and saw them at the top of our road, not knowing where to go. I quickly flagged them down and they pulled up. 5 paramedics jumped out with all of their gear and ran past me into the house and into the bedroom. I walked inside and heard them yelling and giving her CPR. They walked out of the bedroom 5 minutes later and said there was nothing they could do.

Written by Alex Cogen

Alex is a New Yorker currently living in Austin. She loves cats, grass, and latex but unfortunately is allergic to all 3. She makes mom and dad jokes more than she cares to admit (jk she'll admit it loud and proud). She isn't as funny as she thinks she is. She is the founder of thelazygurl.com.